A machine, for example, an engine, a generator, or a vehicle, may include one or more sources of power. Power sources may include engines, batteries, and any other suitable energy generating or energy storage devices. The machine may also include powered devices that may run using power generated or otherwise supplied by the power source. During operation of the machine, multiple powered devices may request power from the power source. As the load or power requested from the power source begins to increase, the power source may begin to operate at a lower speed. If the power source speed falls below a threshold speed, the power source may be susceptible to stalling.
Stalling may result in machine downtime and decreased efficiency. By setting limits on machine operation so that the power source speed does not fall below the threshold speed, stalling may be avoided. However, speed or acceleration based control systems that are used to control machine operation may be inefficient due to delayed response times. Further, if the limits that are set are based on inaccurate readings or values, or some other source of error, then the effectiveness of those limits in preventing stalling may be reduced. Accounting for error may improve the accuracy of the limits, and may help to ensure that stalling and related problems will occur less frequently or not at all.
One attempt to control machine operation is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,146,263 B2 to Guven et al. (“Guven”). Guven discloses a method for predictive load management. In Guven, a control system is operable to receive at least one input indicative of a load on a transmission and to identify a desired load of the transmission based on the at least one input. The control system is also operable to receive at least one input indicative of current power output of a power source. The control system limits the desired transmission load applied to the driven member of the transmission based on the current power output of the power source to thereby prevent the power source from operating outside of the desired operating range. However, the method in Guven may be inefficient.
The disclosed system and method is directed at overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.